To: South African government

SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IN GAZA AND EVERYWHERE!

We call on the South African government to take action to ensure:

  • Immediate closure of the Israeli Embassy in South Africa and the severing of all diplomatic ties until the genocide ends, the illegal military occupation and apartheid system are dismantled, and Israeli officials are held accountable;
  • Immediate imposition of a full arms embargo;
  • Imposition of comprehensive diplomatic, economic, political, and social sanctions against Israel. This must include ending economic aid and cooperation agreements that in any way sustain and contribute to the ongoing genocide and Israel’s illegal occupation and apartheid regime across historic Palestine;
  • Coordinated enforcement, through our courts, ports, contracts, factories, and financial systems as an unavoidable path to justice for the people of Palestine, in keeping with the commitments by The Hague Group of States;
  • In the absence of government action, the protection of all future Freedom Flotillas to ensure safe passage and effective delivery of humanitarian support to Palestinians in Gaza, is not compromised.

Why is this important?

We, the undersigned collective of independent feminists, social justice activists and human rights lawyers, welcome the safe return of the six South Africans released on Monday, 7 October, from arbitrary detention in Ktzi’ot Prison in the Negev desert, Israel. This unlawful detention followed the illegal interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla (a part of Freedom Flotillas), and of the kidnapping of 437 activists on board 40 vessels on 2 October 2025, in international waters. We applaud the organisers of the Flotilla and every activist on board for their commitment to break the siege on Gaza and end the blockade by delivering the desperately needed humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies, to Palestinians in Gaza.

We condemn and denounce:

  • The grave crime of genocide by the Israeli government;
  • The intentional and targeted killings of more than 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza , not counting those trapped under the rubble across the Strip;
  • The ruthless destruction of the homes of the people of Gaza and of entire towns and cities on instruction of the Israeli authorities;
  • The horrifying use of starvation as a method of warfare against Palestinians in Gaza;
  • The failure of States and governments to implement concrete measures to stop the genocide, despite the fact that the International Court of Justice has established a plausible risk of genocide and issued several provisional measures;
  • Israel’s persistent and deliberate blockade of humanitarian aid and access to Palestinians in Gaza, the overwhelming evidence of criminality on the part of Israeli officials and members of the Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF); and
  • Failure of the international community of powerful states to take meaningful action, in line with moral and legal obligations under international law to end the genocide, thus enabling Israel to continue committing war crimes and crimes against humanity with impunity.

We note with outrage and deep concern that this latest onslaught comes after decades of Israeli policy and practice targeting historic Palestine in furtherance of the Zionist settler-colonial project:

  • 8 years of an illegal blockade and siege of the Gaza Strip since 2007;
  • 58 years of a belligerent and unlawful occupation since 1967, the longest standing military occupation in modern history and,
  • 77 years of an ongoing Nakba – the catastrophe of the great and ongoing displacement of Palestinians – since 1948.

We believe that it is for these reasons that the South African activists Carrie Shelver, Fatima Hendricks, Reaz Moola, Zaheera Soomar, Zukiswa Wanner, Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela, joined the Flotilla, guided by a deep belief in internationalism and collective justice. Their actions are rooted in the best of South African and African liberation traditions, standing in solidarity with Palestinians while also carrying the hopes, dreams, and unfinished struggles of their own communities at home. We are inspired by their courage, reminding us that the fight for a free world is not confined to borders, and that wherever we are, we must do what we can, where we can, to end all systems of domination and violence. Because our freedom is tied to the freedom of others and it is we, the people, who show the way. It is we, who will make love and collective power the basis of this new world and era.

How it will be delivered

This petition and statement will be formally delivered to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the Presidency of South Africa, and Parliament once signatures have been collected.

It will also be shared publicly through feminist, activist,media and solidarity networks, and delivered digitally to relevant offices and embassies as part of ongoing mobilisations for Palestinian liberation and accountability under international law.